Help! I have rodents eating my pumpkin blossoms!

captaininsanoSeptember 9, 2013

I am having an issue with a rabbit and at least one squirrel, they are eating my pumpkin blossoms I have no pollinated pumpkins at this point, I thought it was strange by now not to see any females until I inspected more and found that they are being eaten along with the leaves, I can get rid of the rabbit it is a hold over from a few weeks back when I buried wire fencing at the entry points and he was locked inside but I can scare him out the real issue is the squirrel, I have been told to spray the plants and blossoms with a hot sauce to stop them will this work? Do I have enough time to at least get my pie pumpkins or jack of all trades to ripen before Halloween if they are pollinated now? I know it is little hope for the fairytale or Cinderella because of the longer growing time needed but it is still warm here 100+ for a few more weeks probably 90+ until end of October.

Are you sure its squirrels? I have loads of squirrels in my yard but they don't touch the blossoms at all. They haven't even touched the pumpkins. We also have groundhogs but they haven't touched the blooms either. Today I saw one going for my nearly ripe pumpkin so I picked the pumpkin before he could come back and make a meal of it.

I think its too late to expect a pumpkin in time for halloween. If you haven't had any pumpkins forming by now you're not going to get anything to grow and ripen by then.